“Never believe in mirrors or newspapers.” (John Osborne – British playwright and producer 1929-1994)
Last Wednesday I looked back at 2011. I think it’s good to take stock of where you’ve been but it’s even better to look ahead to where you’re going. A writer can hang onto the last story too long sometimes and not reach out for the new story. With writing, the thing is that it’s usually at least a year before you get to actually see your story in book form. So by the time one story is all wrapped up in a great cover and ready to hit the stores for readers, then a productive writer has another story ready to start the publishing process. And some really productive writers have several stories ready to go. I read about one writer not long ago who has nine new books coming out in 2012. I can’t even imagine doing all the editing, etc. that would be required on that many books in one year, much less write that many new books.
But I do have two books coming out in 2012. For me, that’s a lot. First up is Words Spoken True. It releases February 1, and I’m thinking I might get a copy hot off the presses any time now. I read my first review of the book this week. RT Book Review Magazine gave it 4 stars and said “Gabhart’s ability to transport readers into the world of newspaper writing in the 1850’s is amazing. Her latest conveys the power of the written word, family secrets and the knowledge that the choices we want to make are not always the ones that happen in the end.”
I always feel a sigh of relief when the first review I see on a book is positive. That doesn’t mean the next one will be, but at least somebody thought the story was okay. Now I have to wait to see what my readers think. I actually dedicated this book to my readers who have followed my story trail through my small town of Hollyhill to my Shaker village of Harmony Hill back to a little community called Rosey Corner and now to Louisville. I’ve so appreciated my readers who have been willing to give my different stories a chance.
Some of you will be happy to know I am going back to Harmony Hill for another story. I’m actually doing edits on The Gifted right now. I wanted to come up with a different heroine for this Shaker book and I think I succeeded with Jessamine Brady. The book won’t be out until July, but it, like Words Spoken True, is already available for pre-sale on some internet bookselling sites.
So that’s what’s already in the pipeline for me in 2012. I’ve got those stories written. Words Spoken True is edited and ready. The Gifted will go through a couple of edits and then it’ll be ready for readers too. That’s the easy part of my writing road in 2012. But I want to write more stories so that I can look ahead to more books ready in 2013.
My writing road is sort of bumpy right now since I have to spend so many hours sitting with my mother. I am trying to work out a new writing schedule, but so far it hasn’t been easy. It would be great if I could sit down in front of my computer and have the story flow like water out of a primed pump, but it’s not usually that easy for me. But I keep writing and the story usually trickles out if I keep pumping hard enough. That’s what I’m looking forward to in 2012. Pumping hard and keeping my fingers on the keyboard to write two new stories that will speak to my heart first and then perhaps to readers’ hearts on down the road.
What are you looking forward to in 2012? I hope you have some exciting things awaiting you and that you are pushing toward your goals. Thanks for reading. I appreciate each and every one of you who reads my journal here and those of you who follow it every week. I always enjoy your comments too. Thanks so much.